oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Posting this to consolidate some of the accumulated knowledge here. I got good response from a similar thread a while ago.
The original thread can be viewed here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=189029
Going to make this one more streamlined, and broken down by platform. These will be for models sold in North America only. I am just listing the issues themselves without much comment to keep this post easily navigable. Some of the items listed here were in the original post, some are not. Keep in mind the age and typical mileage on some of these cars is creeping up so do not assume your car will exhibit all the problems listed. I see lots of TDIs with over 300k miles on them.
A3 (1997 through early 1999 Jetta, 1Z/AHU engine):
ignition switches, and/or ignition cylinder housing
crank bolt loosening up and damaging sprocket and/or crankshaft
engine and transmission mounts
leaking injection pumps (can be the cause of swollen/blown coolant hoses)
leaking/cracked breather tubes
shifter cables, shifter box bushings, shifter boxes
refrigerant pressure switches
compressors
door harnesses
HVAC control heads
front upper strut mounts
parking brake cables
charge air hoses (at intake manifold mostly)
vacuum/pressure lines (including the one INSIDE the ECU)
N75 valves
cooling fan controllers
B4 (1996 and 1997 Passat, 1Z engine):
everything from above, and...
outer door handles
heater cores
rear calipers (if equipped)
inner CV joints on right side (many B4s did not have a protective cover)
instrument clusters
flexpipe in exhaust downpipe
A4 early (all New Beetles through 2003, late 1999 through 2003 Jetta, late 1999 through 2003 Golf, ALH engine):
01M automatic transmission
injection pumps (clicking)
VNT actuators and sticking VNTs
smashed underbellies
control arm bushings
parking brake cables
fan controllers
radiator fans
compressor clutches
accessory belt idlers and tensioners
vacuum tube to brake boosters
boosters (2002 only for some reason)
oil pump chain (300k+ miles)
long crank time (1998 and 1999 only)
alternator clutch pulleys
dual-mass-flywheel (manual trans)
clogged sunroof drains
wheel bearings (front and rear)
siezed tie rod adjusters
glow plug harness
relay 109 (main engine ECU relay)
condensers (leaks, NB only)
EGR valves
mirror heater elements
reverse lamp switch connector/wires (manual trans only)
brake light switches
leaky vacuum pumps (oil leaks)
coolant temp sensors
side airbag connectors under seats
clocksprings for driver's airbag
fuel temp sensors
power window regulators
saggy front springs
door latches
A4 late (2004+ New Beetle, 2004 to 2006 Golf and Jetta Wagon, 2004 through early 2005 Jetta sedan, BEW engine):
charge air pipe into throttle body
parking brake cables
lift pumps
fuel temp sensors
tandem pumps (leaking)
dual-mass-flywheel (manual trans and New Beetle automatic only)
alternator clutch pulley
camshaft/lifter wear
EGR pipes
EGR coolers
fuel filters (clogging...the PD has no tolerance for this)
glowplugs/software
door latches
air bag connectors under seat
B5 (2004 and 2005 Passat):
A/C 'retarder' relay
outer CV boots
balance shaft/oil pump drive chain (upgradeable)
glowplugs/software
torque convertor (sets TC slippage DTC)
alternator pulley clutch
engine mounts
accessory belts (the larger one splits, the OE Hutchison-branded ones are JUNK!)
charge air hose coming out of the turbo (rubs on ground wire)
EGR coolers
A5 early (late 2005 and 2006 Jetta sedan, BRM engine)
dual-mass-flywheel (both manual and automatic, the auto being worse)
trunk latches
Delphi-supplied radios
door skin bolts coming loose
airbag connectors under seat
rear brake pad wear (may be too tight of parking brake cable)
heater hoses (near turbocharger)
turbo VNT actuator vane sensor (requires new turbo)
fuel temp sensor
camshaft/lifter wear
headlamp assembly connectors
cooling fans
radiators (leaking)
boost pressure sensor (also houses intake air temp sensor)
door wiring harnesses
EGR coolers
rear calipers
A5 late (2009+ Jetta sedan and wagon, Audi A3, CBEA engine):
poor shift quality (automatic)
High Pressure Fuel Pump failure
exhaust temp sensors
...sorry T'reg and Q7 guys, don't have anything for you other than reports of VERY poor tire life.
The original thread can be viewed here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=189029
Going to make this one more streamlined, and broken down by platform. These will be for models sold in North America only. I am just listing the issues themselves without much comment to keep this post easily navigable. Some of the items listed here were in the original post, some are not. Keep in mind the age and typical mileage on some of these cars is creeping up so do not assume your car will exhibit all the problems listed. I see lots of TDIs with over 300k miles on them.
A3 (1997 through early 1999 Jetta, 1Z/AHU engine):
ignition switches, and/or ignition cylinder housing
crank bolt loosening up and damaging sprocket and/or crankshaft
engine and transmission mounts
leaking injection pumps (can be the cause of swollen/blown coolant hoses)
leaking/cracked breather tubes
shifter cables, shifter box bushings, shifter boxes
refrigerant pressure switches
compressors
door harnesses
HVAC control heads
front upper strut mounts
parking brake cables
charge air hoses (at intake manifold mostly)
vacuum/pressure lines (including the one INSIDE the ECU)
N75 valves
cooling fan controllers
B4 (1996 and 1997 Passat, 1Z engine):
everything from above, and...
outer door handles
heater cores
rear calipers (if equipped)
inner CV joints on right side (many B4s did not have a protective cover)
instrument clusters
flexpipe in exhaust downpipe
A4 early (all New Beetles through 2003, late 1999 through 2003 Jetta, late 1999 through 2003 Golf, ALH engine):
01M automatic transmission
injection pumps (clicking)
VNT actuators and sticking VNTs
smashed underbellies
control arm bushings
parking brake cables
fan controllers
radiator fans
compressor clutches
accessory belt idlers and tensioners
vacuum tube to brake boosters
boosters (2002 only for some reason)
oil pump chain (300k+ miles)
long crank time (1998 and 1999 only)
alternator clutch pulleys
dual-mass-flywheel (manual trans)
clogged sunroof drains
wheel bearings (front and rear)
siezed tie rod adjusters
glow plug harness
relay 109 (main engine ECU relay)
condensers (leaks, NB only)
EGR valves
mirror heater elements
reverse lamp switch connector/wires (manual trans only)
brake light switches
leaky vacuum pumps (oil leaks)
coolant temp sensors
side airbag connectors under seats
clocksprings for driver's airbag
fuel temp sensors
power window regulators
saggy front springs
door latches
A4 late (2004+ New Beetle, 2004 to 2006 Golf and Jetta Wagon, 2004 through early 2005 Jetta sedan, BEW engine):
charge air pipe into throttle body
parking brake cables
lift pumps
fuel temp sensors
tandem pumps (leaking)
dual-mass-flywheel (manual trans and New Beetle automatic only)
alternator clutch pulley
camshaft/lifter wear
EGR pipes
EGR coolers
fuel filters (clogging...the PD has no tolerance for this)
glowplugs/software
door latches
air bag connectors under seat
B5 (2004 and 2005 Passat):
A/C 'retarder' relay
outer CV boots
balance shaft/oil pump drive chain (upgradeable)
glowplugs/software
torque convertor (sets TC slippage DTC)
alternator pulley clutch
engine mounts
accessory belts (the larger one splits, the OE Hutchison-branded ones are JUNK!)
charge air hose coming out of the turbo (rubs on ground wire)
EGR coolers
A5 early (late 2005 and 2006 Jetta sedan, BRM engine)
dual-mass-flywheel (both manual and automatic, the auto being worse)
trunk latches
Delphi-supplied radios
door skin bolts coming loose
airbag connectors under seat
rear brake pad wear (may be too tight of parking brake cable)
heater hoses (near turbocharger)
turbo VNT actuator vane sensor (requires new turbo)
fuel temp sensor
camshaft/lifter wear
headlamp assembly connectors
cooling fans
radiators (leaking)
boost pressure sensor (also houses intake air temp sensor)
door wiring harnesses
EGR coolers
rear calipers
A5 late (2009+ Jetta sedan and wagon, Audi A3, CBEA engine):
poor shift quality (automatic)
High Pressure Fuel Pump failure
exhaust temp sensors
...sorry T'reg and Q7 guys, don't have anything for you other than reports of VERY poor tire life.
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